Belmopan, Nov 18, 2005 (NEMO) - The Government of Belize has issued a tropical storm warning for the entire coast of Belize. The Government of Honduras has also issued a tropical storm warning for the bay islands of Honduras. A tropical storm warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected within the warning area within the next 24 hours.
At 3 pm cst 2100 utc the Government of Mexico has issued a tropical storm watch for the eastern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula from the Belize Mexico border northward to Punta Allen. A tropical storm watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area generally within 36 hours.
Interests elsewhere in the northwestern Caribbean sea should monitor the progress of Gamma.
At 3 pm cst 2100 the broad and poorly defined center of Tropical Storm Gamma was located near latitude 16.4 north, longitude 85.6 west or about 40 miles, 65 km north of Limon Honduras and about 190 miles, 300 km east-southeast of Belize City, Belize.
Tropical Storm Gamma is moving erratically toward the west-northwest near 5 mph at 7 km/hr. This general motion should continue for the next 24 hours although some erratic motion is possible as the center re-forms.
Reports from an air force reserve hurricane hunter aircraft indicate that maximum sustained winds are near 40 mph to 65 km/hr with higher gusts. Some slow strengthening is forecast during the next 24 hours.
Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 85 miles, 140 km to the north of the center. The government of Honduras has reported that tropical storm-force winds have been observed in the Western Bay Islands of Honduras.
Estimated minimum central pressure is 1006 mb, 29.71 inches.
Tropical Storm Gamma is expected to produce total rainfall accumulations of 6 to 10 inches over Belize, western Cuba, and the eastern Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico with isolated maximum amounts of 15 inches. Additional rainfall amounts of 4 to 8 inches with isolated maximum amounts of 12 inches are possible over
northwestern Honduras.
